The Agitation of a Rose
by Gaelic Peach
Summary: Harry Potter is not the hero he once was. An event at Hogwarts three years ago has made him lose belief in himself. Can one person help him through this? Or destroy the fragile world our hero has made for himself? H/D slash!
1. Prologue

_"I wish that I could cry- fall upon my knees_

_Find a way to lie bout a home I'll never see_

_And misunderstood but don't be naïve_

_Even heroes have the right to bleed_

_I may be disturbed, but won't you concede_

_Even heroes have the right to dream_

_It's not easy to be me."_

_-Superman (It's not easy), Five for Fighting_

Prologue

"You should really be wearing a hat, you know."

A young woman looked up, startled, from the place she was kneeling in the bright summer grass.  She had been bent studiously over a small garden uprooting weeds and planting new seeds.  Her face broke into a smile as she saw who had spoken.  Obviously she had been in the sun long, as her shoulders were quite tan and smattered with freckles. "Look who's talking, Mr. Weasley," Hermione Granger said with easy playfulness.

Ron Weasley smiled and bent down next to her to help.  It had been hot that summer in Godric's Hollow and they were both tanned and freckled.  His bright red hair contrasted brightly with his skin, which he had let grow out a bit for it to curl around his ears and down the nape of his neck.  "Where's Harry?"

Hermione shrugged and went back to pulling out weeds.  Her long chestnut colored hair tied back in a braid slid down on to her shoulder so that it hung almost to the ground.  Ron moved behind her and ran his fingers through it before replacing it where it had previously hung down her back.  He had been awarded with a soft laugh and a playful bat on the hand.  She suddenly stood up to stretch her back and have a look around.

That previous summer when they had left Hogwarts, the famous trio was nowhere near ready to part.  Instead they had all chipped in money to buy a comfortable cottage to fix up in the village where Harry had once lived.  The house was made of actual logs on the outside but reinforced on the inside with wood colored walls.  It had a large wrap-around porch, wood also, with a comfortable swing on it.  Flowers bloomed everywhere and a large willow tree stood near the back of the house, its sweeping vines reaching the ground.  Inside there were four bedrooms (three for them, one for guests), two baths, a spacious kitchen, a cozy dining room, and three other rooms for various things.  There was really only one floor, but from Harry's room you could climb a ladder and be in a little loft with a spectacular skylight.  Daily he visited the burnt shell where he had once lived with his parents to place flowers.

In fact that's just where he was now…

  


*

Harry Potter stood with his head bowed in the middle of the wreckage where believed the family room once was.  His hair hung down in his face obscuring his eyes and his forehead where his trademark scar was.  A bouquet of wildflowers was held tightly in his hands and every once in a while his shoulders shook, but no sounds were made.  After taking a couple deep breaths, he composed himself enough that he could speak without breaking down.

"Hullo again mom, dad… it's me Harry, your son.  I know I was just here yesterday babbling on about things, but I'm back.  You know why?  Because I really miss you… I wish you both were here so I wouldn't have to talk to nothing and think you could hear me.  I wish you could have seen me back years ago where time after time I saved people and made things right… those days are gone now.  I just couldn't take it and I let Dumbledore just go ahead and get hurt just because I was scared.  He almost died… and it would have been my fault.  Some hero, eh?  Sure people think of me as the 'Savior of the Wizarding World' but I don't feel like that's true anymore.  I've lost my will to fight and trust me, there's still a lot more to be done.  Hermione and Ron say they understand but I really don't think they do.  They're so wrapped up in their own lives and even though we live together I feel like they're drifting away… and if they go too, I have nothing left!"  He collapsed to his knees in the wreckage and slammed his fists down.  The only time he had really had this kind of behavior was the first time he had visited the site.  Sobs wracked through his body in irregular intervals and tears splattered the soot below him.

He wasn't sure how long he kept that up but it must have been long enough to draw attention.  Cool hands appeared, pushing away his hair and removing his glasses. Harry looked up, startled, to see a middle-aged woman cleaning his glasses and holding a tissue out to him.  Her black hair was cut short to curl around her chin and had more than its share of gray.  She wore a simple summer dress with a frilly apron tied over it and no shoes.  He noticed that her legs were streaked with dirt and even thought he could hardly see, her eyes were brown and warm.  With a final brush, she returned his glasses with a smile.

"Alright there, lad?" her voice asked with a lilting Irish accent.

"Er… yes, thank you.  My name is Harry, Harry Potter.  May I ask who you are?" he replied politely, his cheeks stained red from embarrassment.  He shoved his glasses on his face hurriedly and wiped away the last of his tears, smiling bashfully.

"Well aren't you just the cutest little man.  You said you were a Potter?" She paused for a moment to look around at their surroundings and shook her head. "A truly terrible thing that was.  Do you remember me, Harry?"

"I'm sorry but no I don't."

"I thought so.  Well see I've been around this village since I've been but a lass and that was oh about thirty-nine years ago.  Your parents were the nicest young couple I've seen in a long time.  I used to watch you occasionally when they would go out with friends… you were such a happy little baby.  We were all so devastated when He came and left behind destruction.  It was a queer thing that… all the rest of us villagers were away that night as if someone was pushing us away from the village.  When we returned it was too late."  Her eyes were a bit misty as she finished and as an after thought she said, "By the way my name is Catherine Kelly."

Harry looked at her blankly, trying to recall her face.  Due to a memory potion he had asked Severus Snape to brew him in sixth year that caused the drinker to remember rather than lose previous memories, bits of his early childhood had come back.  He could remember his mother, father, Sirius, and a little bit of Remus well so he figured that maybe this woman had come up at one time.  Shutting his eyes briefly he vaguely remembered being outside with Sirius and a woman… with dark hair and dark eyes.  If he tried hard enough he could hear their laughter as he toddled around on the grass, his black tuft of hair bobbing around.  The missing piece clicked and a wide smile grew across Harry's tear stained face.  "Cat!  I called you cat!  You were Sirius's girlfriend, weren't you?"

Catherine laughed gaily and hugged him to her chest.  "Yes, yes!  I was your "aunt" Cat… my I haven't thought of Sirius in years… tell me, is he still around?"  He knew her question was more, "Is he still in Azkaban?" but was too polite to say it.

"He's been out for four years, he was found not guilty.  Remus and him share a flat in London," Harry explained, trying to further place the woman in his memory.  She nodded slightly looking off into space for a moment before abruptly getting to her feet.  Smiling, she extended a hand down to him.

"Need an escort home?  I'm sure your friends are worried about you."  He accepted her hand with a gracious smile and lifted himself off the ground.  Harry set the flowers down on a rock; she nodded understandingly and set off towards the path to his house.  They walked along in a comfortable silence, both of them lost in thoughts about the past.  When they arrived at the quaint wooden gate they stopped.

Harry smiled and held out his hand, shaking hers. "I'm glad to have met you again, Catherine, feel free to stop by for lunch or for a chat anytime."

"Likewise to you I'm just up the lane a little bit." Catherine pecked him on the cheek, ruffled his hair, and set off towards her own home.  Harry smiled in reply and opened the gate, walking slowly wondering if his friends were home.

He saw that Ron's broom was leaning against the swing and gardening tools lay abandoned near the garden so he figured they were inside. "Hello?" he called stepping into the front entryway. 

"In here!" Hermione called from the general direction of the kitchen.  Harry paused in the doorway of the kitchen taking in the sight.  Ron was chopping vegetables half-heartedly and throwing them into a bowl already filled with lettuce.  Hermione was watching him with one eye and writing a letter with another.  She was staring at the parchment blankly, her quill balanced on its tip, brows furrowed. "How was your day at work?"

"I didn't have work today, I was…elsewhere."  He sat down heavily at the table, hands clasped in his lap, eyes fixated on the ground.  She reached over and gently put her hand on his shoulder.  Harry looked up to see her brown eyes looking at him with concern; he looked away quickly.  "It's no reason to be concerned 'Mione, I'm fine."  His voice told otherwise, for it was tired and low from crying.  Ron looked over his shoulder form his position at the corner and noticed Harry for the first time.

"Harry you looked like you've been beaten with a shovel!  Twice!  What's bothering you, mate?"  He set down his cutting knife and walked over to the table, leaning on it.  Harry shrugged and pushed his chair back from the table.  He shuffled over to the fridge and took out milk, drinking straight from the carton.  Hermione sputtered indignantly but held her tongue.  Harry was obviously not in the mind frame to use correct manners, she thought to herself.  "C'mon Harry!" Ron persisted, "girl problems?"

Harry scoffed and looked at Ron with a raised eyebrow.  "Tell me Ron, when was the last time you saw me in a fit about a girl?" Ron looked at him blankly, thinking for a long moment. "Exactly."

"It's true!" Ron exclaimed. "I haven't heard you talk about a girl since Cho in fourth year!  Jesus Harry, are you asexual?" He was ranting by now throwing his hands up in the air, going on and on.  Harry laughed, shaking his head and walked off towards the direction of the living room, milk carton still in hand.  Hermione sat looking at Ron with amusement and bafflement mixed together, her eyebrows delicately raised.

"You know he's gone now right?" She said, laughter dancing in her eyes.  Ron looked at her dumbfounded and his hands drooped down until they were hanging at his sides.  His ears turned a bright shade of red and he laughed with her, severely embarrassed.

"But honestly Herm, what's wrong with him?" His hand had slowly inched along until it covered hers no the table and she smiled at him.

"His parents of course.  I don't know why he insisted on us living here since it gives him so much grief.  And I am worried about him… he hasn't had a relationship since Gin-…" she broke off, her eyes going wide.  "Oh Ron I'm so sorry I shouldn't have I-…" He put one finger to her lips and shook his head sadly.  Ginny Weasley had been murdered in their sixth year at Hogwarts, her fifth year.  It had been of course Death Eaters.  They had gotten wind that Harry had a girlfriend and they went after her right away…unfortunately, that girl was Ginny.  The Weasley family did not like to talk about it, Ron particularly since he had been the closest to her.  Hermione gently kissed his finger and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer to her.  He opened his mouth to say something but she shushed him, just happy to be having a moment.

Harry collapsed on the bottle green sofa, milk carton clutched in his dangling hand.  He felt like someone had thrown a ton of bricks at him then run him down with a big, big truck for good measure.  Ron's comment had only made it worse.  It was half true… he hadn't thought much about girls since Ginny.  It worried him a bit that he seemed indifferent to every come on he received from female _and_ male.  Perhaps he was asexual; he preferred to think he was just waiting until the very right person came along.  For a brief period in his seventh year he and Hermione had shared a short but passionate relationship.  Both of them had decided though it was because they were both lonely, that they didn't really have feelings like that for each other.  Hermione may have been truthful on her part, by Harry knew deep in his heart that Hermione would be the only girl he could see himself with.  But now she was with Ron and he had no intentions of breaking up the happy couple just because he had a longing.  Harry took another swig of milk and wiped the mouth with the back of his hand.  I should really be having alcohol, he though to himself, it would undeniably chase this bloody melancholy away.

"Hermione, Ron!" he yelled, "How about we take a trip to Diagon Alley, perhaps have a round at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Are you quite sure Harry?  You have work tomorrow!" Hermione replied, coming into the room to look at him doubtfully.

"Give a lad a break, Hermione!" Ron retorted, trailing after her from the kitchen.  "Look at him!  He _needs_ a drink!  Besides you look a bit stressed, I think it's safe to have a little relaxation."  Just for good measure, he widened his bright blue eyes and pouted, pulling off a perfect "puppy dog" face.

Hermione cuffed him on the ear but nonetheless agreed to go.  Ron and Harry pumped their fists into the air yelling enthusiastically. She shook her head at them, walking off to find her shoes and perhaps a sweater.  They followed her lead, going to the entryway to get on their shoes.  Hermione returned, her hair undone falling in graceful waves to the small of her back asking, "Brooms, Floo, or Apparation?"

"Floo." The men said in unison.  Ron had trouble some time with Apprating, and Harry simply felt to tired to pull it off.  Hermione nodded and the trio went into the study where a magnificent fireplace stood.  "_Incendio_," Harry said, pointing his hand at the fire.  He had learned to harness some of his unmanaged magic and could do basic and some intermediate spells with his wand.  Every Sunday he had trainings with Dumbledore to harness it even more.  They were preparing for a big battle and they needed all the tricks up their sleeves they could get.  Flames shot up, crackling merrily and turned a dark green when Ron threw the powder in.  Harry stepped in first and disappeared, the others following him shortly.

They arrived in the Leaky Cauldron, more than a little disoriented but in tact all the same.  The bar as filled with mostly The Official University of Wizard Politics and Harry recognized some faces.  He waved to Dean and Neville who were sharing a table, on their way to get raucously drunk.  

As a group they decided that essentials would come first, then drinks, so they head out the back and tapped the correct stones to gain entrance to Diagon Alley.  Harry looked around in awe, it never lessened the wonderment that there could be a whole other world right next to London, a pub and a wall of bricks the only thing standing between it.  Hermione made a beeline for Flourish and Blotts, dragging the reluctant men behind her.  When books were involved, no one, _no_ one kept Hermione away.  Ron ran off to the section about Quidditch, leaving Harry to be Hermione's extra books carrier.  It wasn't the fact that she loved bookstores so much that irked them; it was the fact that she stopped to read every title and thumb through the pages or read the back cover.  So far she had five books in her hand, each of them mini encyclopedias in side when she handed him The Book.  

The Book started everything in the downward and unusual cycle that his life would soon take.  It's title was simple and elegant all at one, silver letters that winked and shimmered on the simple black cover spelling out, "_The Sorceress' Sock Drawer:  All of your Favorites In one!"_  Harry read the cover over and over with curiosity; Hermione had been quite pink on the cheeks when she had handed it to him.  He noticed that she kept looking back, her eyes darting to the book then to Harry's face all in one second.  When she had found a section on theories of magic's origin and squealed in delight, he took the distraction as a chance to sneak off and find out exactly what the book was.

Looking around sneakily before opening it, Harry slid down until he was crouched in a rather mundane aisle about proper wand care.  Mentally awarding himself for being so good at sneaking away, Harry opened the cover and gaped in shock for a good two minutes.  His mouth went dry and his eyes glazed over as he tried to take in the picture staring back up at him.  A wizard with a well-placed bed sheet winked and stretched for his enjoyment on the page.  In the corner tiny letters said, "Mr. December, Year:  1996."  He flipped through the rest of the pages, all which had the same type of thing on them, some of them more clothed or not as clothed as the first one.  Almost near the end of the book that would plague him for months on end, Harry choked on his spit and made a weird noise in the back of his throat.

The one and only Draco Malfoy was in a picture entitled Sensuous Slytherins, his head propped up on one hand, his fringe falling over his eyes in silvery strands.  He blew a kiss and winked at Harry, making him throw the book in the air with a shout of disgust.

"Well, well Potter, making a scene yet again?" Harry's heart stopped.  This was definitely not the voice he wanted to hear, the voice that belonged to the man in the picture, and the voice that was the bane of his existence in his younger years at Hogwarts.

"Malfoy.  How nice of you to show up at the wrong moment, as usual," Harry retorted easily, slowly turning and raised up to face him.  They stood almost nose to nose, Harry just a tad shorter, their eyes looking each other over in malice.  Malfoy's eyes flickered down to the book and his lips turned up in his trademark smirk.  He bent down with fluid grace, snatched the book and read the title aloud.

"Ahh so Harry Potter does play for the other team, eh?  We all had our suspicions, but who would've thought it was true?"  Draco flipped through the book quickly until he came to his own page.  His eyes lit with something akin to pride and mimicked the picture by running his hands through his own hair, letting it fall back into his eyes.  He was _very_ vain, and his hair was one of his physical aspects he was most proud of.  "And not only does he play for the other team, he's ogling me as well!  I don't know whether to be pleased or disgusted."  

"It's Hermione's!" Harry yelled, color flaring up on his cheeks in anger.  He quickly snatched the book back and glared at Malfoy.

"So the buck toothed Mudblood has a crush on me?  Can't blame her really, I _am_ the picture of male beauty."  To many, Draco Malfoy was in fact the handsomest guy in the Wizarding world.  He had oh-so-touchable silver/blonde hair, cheekbones like a model, grayish blue eyes, and slightly pouty lips.  Not to mention he had a nice build from all the Quidditch training and kept himself well dressed and cleaned.  Currently he was wearing a high collared blue shirt much resembling the school uniforms of Chinese wizards and witches, black pants, and highly polished black loafers.  A cloak had been clasped to his shoulder by two pins in the shape of a dragon roaring.

"She wouldn't touch you with a ten foot broomstick."  Harry eyed Malfoy disdainfully and spat, "No decent person would."

"The question is, Potter," Draco whispered, his lips almost brushing Harry's ear, "Would you?"  With that last decidedly _odd_ statement, Draco swept off, his cloak swirling behind him.

Harry stood slightly shaking until Hermione found him minutes later.  He wordlessly handed the book to her and said, "I suddenly don't feel like drinking.  I think I'll just go home."  Without a look back, he pushed past her and made his way out of the store.

"Harry!" she yelled surprised after him, worry evident in her voice.  For a moment she considered going after him but decided she would never be able to find him until he wanted to be found.  Ron strode up next to her, confusion etched on his features.

"What was that all about?"

"No clue."

*

Harry Apprated home with a satisfying _pop!_ and went wearily to his room, shoulders slumped dispiritedly.  He had no idea of what to make Draco's statement out of, but it had made him have feelings he hadn't had for a long time.  Oh sure, countless witches had come to him, whispering seductive things in his years, but he usually looked at them blankly and went on his way.  This time was different.  The words sent a shiver through Harry and made him feel cold and warm all over at once.  Undressing silently and donning pajama pants, Harry slid into his warm bed, still very confused.  If it had been any other person, he would have jumped for joy at the prospect of possibly finding someone he liked.  But this was Draco Malfoy.  Draco bloody Malfoy.  The git who had bugged him all through his school years, no matter how bad Harry looked.

His dreams that night were plagued with images of a certain Slytherin.

*

Draco Malfoy always considered things before he said them.  The little comment made to a certain Harry Potter was mulled over for weeks before he would even think of saying it.  It was all part of the master plan.  Whose or what master plan could not be said yet, for it was too soon, but Draco suspected this is what would start the turning of the wheel.  And he was ready.  Oh gods was he ready.


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own anything; it all belongs to J.K. Rowling!   
  


Author's note: Translation for what exactly Teagan is saying can be found at the bottom of the fic. Reviews are always welcome.  Thanks and cupcakes to my beta, Vicki.  
  


Wonderful reviewers, I thank you ^_^ *glomp*: **Fantastic MrFoxkins,** **Dodge64**, **and Silent Angel**   
  


_"Take this souvenir_

_They can't deny you were here_

_The scar always there_

_To medicate your fear_

_Then you can be the remedy_

_And I can be the enemy_

_And we can go live as nothing_

_Then you can be the wannabe_

_And I can be the remedy_

_And we can go to hell for all I care."_

_-Abandoned Pools, The Remedy_   
  


Chapter One   
  


_Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep be- _Harry smacked his little alarm clock off, grimacing about the unfairness of it all. He dreaded the moment he would have to leave for work, which was only forty-five minutes away. Grumbling about everyone and everything, the man slumped off to the bathroom to stand under the shower, going through his half conscious morning routine. Thirty minutes later he stumbled for the kitchen, grunting as a greeting to Hermione, who was alternating between flipping bacon and putting in toast.

She smiled warmly at him. Hermione Granger had always been a morning person and no matter how grumpy her boys (as she affectionately referred to Ron and Harry by) were, she was happy. "Morning, Harry! I was just about to check on you. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes can you flip that toast? Oh how late are you working today? I thought that us three could maybe have a talk tonight?"

"Mmm."

"Aha, so your answer is yes, six o'clock, and if it has to do with what happened last night I have nothing to say?" She looked at him, eyebrows raised for his answer as she slid bacon and toast on to his plate.

He looked at her astonished for a moment. "That's exactly right. We need a vacation away from each other, my dear." After shoveling in his breakfast and chatting idly with Hermione, Harry put on his deep red cloak and Apprated to work. He worked as a dangerous magical creature tamer at a small but infamous farm in Country Clare in the Shannon region of Ireland. "How did the Kelpie capturing go yesterday?" he asked on arrival to the head of the team, Teagan Finnegan, Seamus's older brother.

"It went arseways my bespectacled head," he answered miserably. "The whole thing was as useless as tits on a bull. It was brass monkeys outside that mornin' it was."

"So you didn't get _any_thing done?" 

"O' course, you quare hawk! We got the narky Kelpies bridled, just one of the heads got in an agro with one, got his arm chopped off. If you'll excuse me 'Arry, I've got a session with a lack an' a rubber Johnny!" The bright spirited Irish man pulled on his coat and was out of there like lightning. 

Harry laughed at Teagan with the other guys who had come into the main room to see what was going on. Teagan could always make everyone laugh with his little comments. "So team, what is our agenda today?"

"Cleaning of class four monsters. Harry, you got the griffin since you seem to be the only one that can go in there without coming out bloody." Griffins were very temperamental creatures and they currently had one in residence because it had been mistreated by a pack of dark wizards in Greece. She was being held in isolation, as she seemed to have a problem getting along with anyone else. Harry pulled on his dragonhide gloves and boots, a heavily charmed cape, and dragonhide trousers incase she was in a bad mood today. For reasons unknown to Harry, the griffin had never struck out at him, but he had to take precautions anyways.

            He headed down to the pen levitating a cart of cleaning supplies he would need today, his thoughts wandering back to yesterday's events. Deciding that would definitely _not_ help his concentration, Harry chose a different topic to think about. "Hullo there, Hera. Are you faring well?" he asked the griffin as he came up to her large holding pen. Of course it had a roof over the top and it had been designed to look like a Greek temple to suit her taste. The name Hera came from her calling him Zeus because of his scar and the fact that she seemed so affectionate about him.

"I've missed you, Zeus. You should visit me more than to just groom me. I would like that very much." She was a very majestic creature with golden haunches and enormous gray wings that she took pride in. Her voice was low and beautiful with age, but held distrust from being treated badly.

"Sorry, Hera, I've been busy round here lately going on more missions to save mistreated creatures like yourself," he replied gently brushing the fur part of her and getting out snags, "but from now on I will make it a point to stop by more often." She purred contently as he gently rubbed her fur down with a fur cleaning potion and _SleekEazy's Ultra-sheen. _He then toweled her off and began to groom her feathers, making sure to pluck off any loose ones.

"Thank you, Zeus. You are a good friend," Hera said when he was done. "If you ever need me to guard a treasure of yours, I would be happy to." Harry patted her one last time, promising to return before her next cleaning, and went back to the main building to see what he had up next. Next to his name on the board it said to take the hippogriffs out for exercise.

"Well this is going to be fun."   
  
  


*   
  


            Draco Malfoy had never been one to make dramatic entrances, but he felt that it was necessary in this case. With an air of despair around him he sulked into his mother's sewing room and threw himself down on the chaise lounge, his arm slung across his eyes.

Narcissa Malfoy turned to him with one eyebrow raised, already knowing that she was about to hear some complaint from her son. "I plan on meeting someone I need to impress today, and I need your help on what I should wear. I want the person to see me as desirable, but not overly so. I want to seem approachable but _too_ approachable, and I need the outfit to be able to set off my eyes."

"It seems to me that your person you need to impress is one that you wish to pursue romantically. Can this person have something to do with this secret plan I've heard so little about?

"If you absolutely must know, yes, this person has to do with the plan. Now will you help me or not?" His expression was that of comical despair, much like a Greek tragedy mask.

"Sugarlumpkins, just wear a set of _Morgan le Fay Originals_ and you'll have hearts breaking all over the place. You can never go wrong with that."

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Draco exclaimed, showing a rare side of affection as he hugged her. "Oh… and mom?"

"Yes?"

"Don't call me Sugarlumpkins."   
  
  


*   
  


Harry decided that he would just go get a drink today since he hadn't been able to yesterday. For an unexplainable reason, he had the simple desire to get extremely drunk, and hopefully pass out. In the back of his head, he knew that this was probably not the best idea he's ever had. And in another place in the back of his head, he had a tiny hope that he might run into Draco Malfoy… but he decided to ignore that thought. _Why bother, Harry, old pal, _a tiny voice said. _You know want him, even if it's the littlest desire for him. So quit being a git and admit it. Admit it, Harry! You _want_ Draco Malfoy! You _want_ him in a way you _know_ you shouldn't. So just admit it and I'll just go back to sleep ok, old buddy, old pal? Ok?_

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up," Harry muttered, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. But that didn't stop the voice. The voice was inside him, teasing him, _torturing_ him. _C'mon, Scarface, _the voice taunted, now sounding like the voice of a thousand Slytherins that had relentlessly teased him. _Just admit it and we'll leave you alone. Hey! Scout's honor we'll leave you alone and go about our business. But before we can do that, you need to own up to something. You _liked_ that little picture of Malfoy, didn't you? You _dreamed_ about it last night!_ The voice paused for a brief cackle that made Harry flinch. _Oh yes, Hero Boy, we know _all_ your secrets! We know 'em all, haha! So now I'll tell you _one more time_, ADMIT YOU LIKE HIM! ADMIT YOU WANT HIM! ADMIT THAT YOU DREAMED ABOUT HIM ALL LAST NIGHT! OWN UP, SCARFACE!_

"No!" Harry yelled, startling several of his workmates who had also had late shifts.

"You alright there, Harry?" one of them asked, a look of concern on his face.

"I'm fine." Harry grabbed his cloak and curtly turned on his heel, wanting, no, _needing_ to get away and get a drink. He stepped outside and Apprated to the Leaky Cauldron. 

Tom still hanging in as the bartender nodded to Harry as he appeared and Harry nodded back. He looked around to see if there was any familiar faces and caught the eye of Cho Chang who he was on friendly terms with. She waved him over enthusiastically and when he came over she asked him to sit down. So he did just that, Tom appearing immediately at his side to take his order.

"Double Ogden's Fire Whiskey with little water and little ice please," he said politely. Tom looked at him, a bit shocked by little Harry Potter's order, but scurried off to make his drink anyways. Cho also looked at him a little surprised but also decided to not say anything. "So how are you doing, Cho?"

"I'm fine. The training for Quidditch season has been harsh, but I'm making it. A few trips to the pub help though," she replied, winking knowingly. "How have you been doing? You look pretty beat right now."

"I've been hearing that too much lately. I'm alright. Although I've been preoccupied with something. Well, actually it's more of a someone, but we won't get into that."

"Are you sure? I'm here to talk, I got the time."

Harry smiled at her and patted her hand. "Thanks, but no thanks. I wouldn't even know where to start." She squeezed his hand in a comforting gesture and knocked back the rest of her drink in one fluid motion. The two had overcome Cedric's death and became good friends, even boyfriend and girlfriend for a short time. They had parted on good terms, leaving their relationship as friends only.

The pub's entrance from Diagon Alley banged open and a tall, slim person stepped in, cloaked in shadows until they stepped into the dim light. It was Draco Malfoy. Harry's mouth went dry as he locked eyes with the man.

"Oh hey that's Draco, mind if I invite him over?" Cho asked him.

"No… I don't mind. I didn't know you two were friends," Harry answered, his voice slightly shaky.

"Our families are old friends," she said in an undertone, "Oi! Draco, come over here and join me and Harry for a drink or two!" Draco's eyes lit up at the invitation; it was the perfect opportunity. He strode over, getting more than one appreciative glance from the patrons, but his eyes remained fixed to Harry's the entire time.

"Hello Cho, always a pleasure to see you. Hello… Harry, I see you're looking better than last time we met." He smirked at Harry, and surprisingly, Harry smirked back as if the two held a secret. Cho looked back and forth between them, wondering what exactly was going on. She had thought it would be tense if the two men had gotten together because of their history in school. _Maybe they put their school boy fights aside_, she thought to herself hopefully. Draco slid into the seat across from Harry, his gaze never wavering as he ordered his drink, a red currant rum.

Harry blushed and diverted his eyes, hastily gulping a fourth of his whiskey, which felt like liquid fire traveling down his throat. _Ohgodohgodohgod! What am I supposed to say? What do I do? Stupid! Think of- OH MY GOD!! DID HE JUST SLIDE HIS FOOT UP MY LEG?! _He turned almost purple and flashed a brief look at Draco, who was as calm and collected as ever. The man even had the nerve to drop a wink at him.

Draco smirked as he watched Harry grow more and more red. "So Cho, how has the team been going for you? Any good?"

"Practice is tiring as hell, but it's also fun. I think we may have a good chance in the League. This year we may actually make it. Some of our biggest competition had to get new players and train them. We've had a tight knit team for two years now; the odds are definitely looking up." Cho played for the Holyhead Harpies, an all girls team that had been doing pretty well lately. She was, of course, the seeker. 

"I'm glad for you. What do you think, Harry?" Draco asked, his foot still lightly sliding up and down Harry's leg as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Ahh… my money is on the… Appleby Arrows, yeah," he replied looking quite hot under the collar. "May I be excused?" Without further ado, Harry pushed his chair back from the table and was off to the men's room like a bullet. Cho looked quite miffed about Harry's hasty departure, and looked at Draco with one delicate eyebrow raised.

"What's bothering him?"

"Hmm, I'll go find out, stay right here." Draco got up from the table and strode over to the men's room, also going in. He found Harry staring at the mirror over the sink, his face splashed with water. Harry didn't notice him come in, so Draco remained leaning against the closed door. When he turned around to presumably go back to the table, his eyes widened at Draco's presence.

"I- I didn't know you were there." Draco didn't say anything but remained standing; arms folded over his chest with a thoughtful look on his face. "So, Draco, I was think-." He stopped suddenly. Draco had put one hand on his face, cupping his cheek and looking at him with an unreadable expression.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have really beautiful eyes?" He asked, his gaze meeting Harry's, forcing him to look at him. An unexplainable shiver ran through Harry as they stood staring at each other. Draco's eyes seemed so cold… so _gray_… so… emotionless. 

Harry coughed and looked at the floor, shifting his weight from foot to foot in an unconsciously cute manner. "Actually… umm people have." That was true. Everyone said he looked like his father, except for his eyes, which were the expressive green of his mother's.

"No wonder… they're like emerald fire, it's quite amazing." He leaned in closer to Harry, their faces only five inches away form each other at most.

"Malfoy…" he breathed. That's all he managed to get out. _Oh god is he going to _kiss_ me? I don't think I would be able to handle it. Please let him kiss me. No! I mean please _don't_ let him kiss me! Oh he's getting closer and he's got that look in his eyes. That look you get when you're going to kiss someone. Do I have that look too? Does my face show the same demeanor? Why doesn't he just get it over with? Argh quit thinking! Oh wait… why isn't anything happening? Hey! Where's he going? _"Hey, where are you going?" he asked aloud.

Draco had turned so that his back was to Harry and muttered, "Cho must be waiting, and we should get back." His breathing had become short and erratic, his whole body tense. _Why hadn't I been able to kiss him? _He thought. _Why did it seem like something was stopping me? There's no time to waste, Draco, _a colder voice broke in, You_ have too much riding on this, I don't care what's going on, you must get him to bend to your will._

Harry bit his lip and glared at Draco's turned back, his head spinning with questions. He shook his head fiercely and decided that another drink would fix up all this up. Yeah, that sounded good. Another drink. But a stronger part of him argued that he wanted answers and he wanted them _now_. That voice sounded more convincing, so that's the choice he made. "Malfoy," he growled, his voice and total self much stronger, "what exactly are you playing at here? Are you serious or are you just setting me up to look like the world's biggest prat?"

Draco stiffened momentarily, but nonetheless said smoothly, "Well I guess that's something you're going have to be brave enough to find out, won't it, Potter?" Harry didn't reply, only glared at the back of Draco's head. When they returned to the table Cho opened her mouth to ask about where they were, most likely, but Draco cut her off. "Terribly sorry but we have to run, I hope we get to talk to each other again soon." He threw enough money on the table to pay for his and Harry's drink and for a hefty tip, grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him to the entrance that led out into Muggle London.

"Malfoy, why are we here? Where are we going?" Harry asked, slightly confused.

"There's no privacy with you that I can get in there."

"Oh." Harry let himself be dragged a couple blocks away, where suddenly Draco spun around and pinned him against the stonewall of a store, grabbing his wrists and holding them up over his head. "Hey!" He cried out, alarmed, trying to somehow wiggle away from him. But then he noticed that Draco had never pulled out his wand to curse him, nor did he have a manic glint in his eye. "What… what are you doing?" He demanded, his voice softer this time. Their position was considerably uncomfortable for Harry, since the rough stone was scraping his skin. For some reason though, he knew it was unintentional.

Draco searched his face for something that may have signaled that Harry wanted this as much as he did. Harry's breathing had become slightly faster and he unconsciously licked his lips as Draco stared at him. His green eyes had gone darker to convey- what? Feelings of lust? Fear? Draco wasn't sure. _Just get on with it! _His mind screamed. _What are you waiting for? A bloody invitation? _"Just go with it," Draco said softly, almost to himself.

With deliberate slowness, Draco gently held Harry's chin in place and leaned forward until their lips were as close together as they could be without touching. It was Harry who made the first move. He arched forward so that their bodies touch and kissed him lightly. 

"Now let me go," he murmured. Surprisingly, Draco did just that, a shocked look on his face. "You crossed the line now, there's no going back. If you want to continue this, you know where to find me." All of a sudden, Harry had become the leader in this little game. His face was entirely smug and he knew exactly what he was doing. "Godric's Hollow," he whispered before Apprating away.

"Damn it!" Draco swore, his fists hitting the wall. "You stupid _idiot_!" he hissed, feeling more self-loathing than he ever had before. _Good job, _you_ were supposed to manipulate _him_, not the other way around! _So he did the only thing he could do. He Apprated to Godric's Hollow, determined to get this turned around so that the game was in his favor.   
  


*   
  


Harry had been waiting for them calmly at the Apparation point. Wordlessly, he grabbed Draco's wrist and took him home. Praying that Hermione and Ron were not around, he opened the door, making sure to be as quiet as possible. When Draco opened his mouth to say something, Harry clapped a hand over his mouth. His eyes said all that was needed to say. _You talk and this whole thing is off._ Harry felt a kind of giddiness from having someone completely under his control. It only furthered the feeling that this was Draco bloody Malfoy. He crept along the hallway as quick and quietly as possible and led Draco into his room. With his eyes fixed on Draco the entire time, Harry closed and locked the door. "You have one minute to explain what you want from me."

Seeing this as his chance to get the ball back into his court, Draco seized it. "Isn't it obvious?" he purred, brushing up against Harry as he circled him. "All I want is you… is that too much to ask?"

"Coming from you, yes," Harry replied tightly. His voice was unsure, and Draco knew he was slowly losing his control.

"Why don't you just put that school boy grudge behind, Harry?"

"It's more than a school boy grudge and you know it, Malfoy." The coldness in which he said Draco's name momentarily shocked him. Just minutes ago he wanted to snog the hell out of him, but suddenly, all he wanted was to punch the hell out of him. _Emotions are a weird thing_, he decided. "You insulted me, you insulted my friends, and you insulted my _parents'_ memory. How can I forgive you?"

'These things didn't seem to bother you when you snogged me." What little resolve against Draco he had left crumbled after that remark. "Second thoughts, eh?"

"Just get it over with. Do what you need to do and _go_," Harry growled, trying to grasp any confidence he had left. There was none. His would-be order came out as a weak plea.

The two men stared at each other in an unspeakable dare that Harry was slowly beginning to lose. Finally, Draco broke the flimsy barrier Harry had built up around himself. He ran his hands through Harry's fringe, and brushed his lips across his scar. Harry gasped and felt his legs turn to jelly. _So this is what it feels like to be with Draco Malfoy, _he thought giddily, _not that bad if I do say so myself. _His hands went out on their own accord, gently grasping Draco's hips and pulled him closer so their foreheads touched. Harry tilted his head to one side and placed his lips on Draco's, hoping, no, _praying_ that the other man would respond. He did. They fought for who was in control for a few seconds, hands everywhere, faces flushed, feeling exuberant but scared all at once. "Welcome to the lion's den," Harry said softly when they finally parted.

"No, I think the right phrase is, 'Welcome to the snake's nest.' You're in my territory now, Harry. You are mine." Draco muttered, pulling Harry's lips back to his own. It was true, too. Harry had completely succumbed to Draco's will, and he knew it. The panic that would have normally come along with this was covered by the overwhelming passion he was feeling.   
  


*   
  


The next morning dawned clear and bright, a perfect summer day. Harry woke to find himself up in the loft, half naked with someone lying next to him. _What did we do? Why can't I remember what happened? _He thought frantically, looking at Draco Malfoy with a look of shock. _Shit. I'm screwed._   
  


_*_   
  


Author's Notes: And there we go! The shocking conclusion to chapter one. Please review, I'll give you cookies ^_^   
  


And now vocabulary with Teagan Finnegan!

Arseways: made a complete mess of it

Head: friend or pal

Brass monkey: exceptionally cold weather

Quare hawk: odd fella

Narky: cranky

Agro: fight

Session: drinking all day long

Lack: girlfriend/sex slave

Rubber Johnny: condom


End file.
